Highway marker with reflectors



Nov. 9, 1965 G. STOLARCZYK ETAL 3,216,335

HIGHWAY MARKER WITH REFLECTOR-S 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 5, 1962 Jerry Sfo/arczyk INVENTORS. 405:.

BY wmm 1965 e. STOLARCZYK ETAL 3,216,335

HIGHWAY MARKER WITH REFLECTORS Filed March 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 7

Gregory Sta/arczyk Jerry Sfo/arczyk INVENTORS.

Mm BY puwy 25m United States Patent 3 216,335 HIGHWAY MARKER WITH REFLECTORS Gregory Stolarczyk, Cleveland, Ohio (1404 South Bend Road, Rockford, 111.), and Jerry Stolarczyk, 9421 Alexander Road, Cleveland, Ohio Filed Mar. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 177,603 4 Claims. (Cl. 94-15) This invention relates to marking and signaling devices, and more particularly to reflective markers adapted to be embedded in the pavement of highways, streets and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a street marker which projects above the surface of the street and is deformable so that when struck by vehicles or other objects, it will deflect flush with or below the street surface.

It is another object of the invention to provide a marker which is hollow and flexible, but is provided with vent openings so as to permit the escape of air therein for facilitating collapse of the marker, but is also provided with sealing means to prevent entry of water .and dirt into the inside of the marker.

It is another object of the invention to provide a highway marker which has reflectors that are automatically cleaned by contact with vehicle tires.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a simply constructed, inexpensive and durable device for installation in cement or concrete to mark a dividing line between lanes in a highway and which will resiliently yield under the weight of vehicles passing thereover to avoid injuring the tires of the vehicles or causing jolts to the vehicle occupants.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of the markers installed along the centerline in a paved highway;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the markers shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional vertical view at right angles to FIGURE 3 and taken substantially on the plane of line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of line 55 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is .an exploded perspective view of one of the markers; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken substantially on the plane of line 7-7 in FIG- URE 6.

With continuing reference to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals in the various figures indicate the same parts, it can be seen that the markers 10 are designed to be installed in the upper portion of a paved highway or street 12 so that the upper portions of the markers 10 project above the street surface and the edges thereof are flush with the street.

Each marker 10 includes a hollow rigid housing 14 of cylindrical shape with a circular bottom. The bottom 16 has stamped therein an upwardly extending cylindrical projection 17. The cylindrical side walls 18 of the housing are provided with four or more coplanar equally spaced inwardly projecting detents or lugs 20.

Each marker also includes a resilient marker element 22 provided with a cylindrical or annular wall 24 which slightly curved as shown in FIGURE 3 so as to extend.

3,216,335 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 is integrally connected at its upper edge to a pyramidic top 26 composed of four triangular side walls connected together integrally at their edges. The bottom edges of the triangular side walls are integrally connected to the upper edges of the annular wall 24 by means of flat peripheral coplanar arcuate top surface portions 28. The cylindrical side wall 24 is formed with inwardly projecting rectangular portions 30 which form rectangular recesses or slots 32 which extend vertically and are parallel to the bottom edges of two of the diametrically opposed triangular side walls of top 26. There are two slots or passageways 32 constituting a vent for-med in diametrically opposed portions of the side wall 24. The outer circumference of the cylindrical wall 24 is of the same dimension or slightly larger than the inner circumference of the side wall 18 of housing 14. Therefore, since the marker element 22 is composed of resilient flexible material, when it is inserted into the housing 14, the side walls 24 and 18 tend to remain in frictional engagement with one another. However, to insure that the housing and marker elements do not separate, expander rings 34 of substantially circular shape, but having inwardly projecting portions constituting recesses 36 to fit around the rectangular portions 30 of the marker elements 22 are inserted into the marker elements as shown in FIGURE 3 so that the expander ring is slightly below the detents 20 thereby forcing the flexible side wall 24 of the marker element partially under the detents.

A conical expander spring 38 may be placed between the bottom 16 and the bottom edge of the central top surface 26 so as to urge the top to its normal position as shown in the drawings after it has been depressed by a vehicle or other object. However, the spring is optional since the marker element 22 does normally tend to re-, turn to its normal shape because it is composed of resilient material as explained above. The spring 38 terminates in a large circular end which abuts the top 26 and a small circular end which surrounds the projection 17.

Two opposite triangular sides of the top 26 are provided with elongated thickened portions 40, see FIGURE 4, which have recesses in their outer surfaces for receiving and retaining reflective elements 42 composed of glass or plastic reflective materials.

It is also to be noted that the marker element 22 is provided with an integral flange or flap 44 at the upper end of each recess 32 so as to partially or entirely cover the entrance to the recess formed between the housing 14 and side wall 24 to prevent entry of dust, dirt and other foreign materials into the slot. The slot 32 is also pro-' vided with a horizontal extension 32' which may be under the bottom edge of the side wall 24.

When installing the marker 10 in the pavement 12, a bore 46 is drilled in the pavement about A" in diameter larger than the housing 14 and of the same depth as the housing. The housing is inserted in the bore and the space between the bore and housing is filled with a special cement 48 whereby the marker is secured within the pavement with its upper edge flush therewith.

In operation, the reflectors 42 reflect incident light whereby the markers may be readily seen. Also, the tops 26 may be painted different colors so as to indicate different speed zones. When the top of the markers are passed over by a vehicle or struck by foreign objects such as a snowplow, they are depressed downwardly flush with or below the surface of the pavement 12 and the air therein is forced outwardly through the slots 32 and 32. When the vehicle has passed over the marker, it inherently returns to its original shape and is refilled with air passing through the slots. The flaps 44 flex so as to permit exhaust and entry of air from and to the slots 32 thereby constituting an automatic air valve. However,

the flaps 44 normally substantially close the openings to the slots so as to prevent entry of water and dirt into the interior of the markers. Even if water should flow into slots 32, no significant amount would go inside element 22 as this would' be prevented by the'pressure of the air trapped inside the element.

The spring 38. in each marker is optional, however, it might be needed in winter because the low temperatures may decrease the resiliency or elasticity of the elements 22 and the spring will assist in returning them to their original positions.

Although the markershave been illustrated as being round, they may be of any desired shape. As explained above, the markers may be colored to indicate different speed zones. For example, green markers will indicate a 25-mile per-hour zone, yellow markers will indicate a 35-mile-perhour zone, red markers will indicate a 50- mile-per hour zone, etc.

As vehicles pass over the markers, the rubbing of the rubber treads of the vehicle wheel-s over thereflector elements 42 .will keep the surfaces of these elements clean. As shown in FIGURE 7 the surfaces of these elements are flush with or slightly below the outer surface of the marker tops 26.

The foregoing is,.considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it isnot desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows;

1. A marker adapted to be embedded in the pavement of a highway comprising a resilient element having an upper peripheral edge adapted to lie flush with the pavement, the element having an upper sloping surface extending above the upper edge, reflector means embedded in thetop of said element substantially flush with said surface, said element being hollow and provided with a passageway connecting, the interior of the marker with the upper surface thereof whereby air may flow to and from said interior during compression and expansion of said element, said passagewaybeing provided with automatic valve means open by air pressure and preventing entry of dirt into said interior, said element having a lower portion being contained within. a rigid housing also having an upper peripheral edge coplanar with said first-mentioned edge, and said passageway constituting a groove in the outerside surface of said lower portion closed by a wall of said .housing, said valve means comprising a resilient flap secured to said element and extending over the upper end of said groove substantially flush with said edges. i

2. A marker as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with spaced detents lying in a horizontal plane, an expander within said element below said detents urging portions of the side walls of said element below said detents.

3. A marker adapted to be embedded within the sur face portion of a street comprising a hollow body having an upper peripheral edge adapted to lie flush with the surface of the street, a resilient top member enclosing the upper end of said hollow body and having peripheral edges connected to said upper peripheral edge, a passageway connecting the interior of said body with the upper surface of the marker whereby air may flow to and'from said interior during compression and expansion of said element, said passageway being provided with automatic valve means open by air pressure, said valve means preventing entry of foreign substances into said interior, said passageway constituting a vertical groove in an outer side surface of said body, said valve means comprising a resilient flap secured to said body and extending over the upper end of said groove substantially flush with said upper peripheral edge.

4. A roadway marker comprising in combination chamber means for flush embedment in the surface of a road-. way open at its mouth and surrounded by a side wall together with a vertically collapsible and resilient marker element constituting a cover for said chamber, said.

marker element having a flat peripheral top surface coplanar with the top surface of said side wall and a central top surface projecting upwardly from said peripheral top surface and above the surface of a roadway in which the member is embedded whereby when the central top surface is depressed and extended the chamber. volume will be varied, vent means disposed between said marker element and side wall and communicating with said chamber at the lower portionthereof and having an opening to the atmosphere exteriorly of said marker element, and valve means for said vent means allowing free flow of air therethrough but preventing the ingress of foreign matter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,146,359 2/39 Shaw 941.5 X 2,157,059 5/39 Rosener 94-l.5 X 2,224,937 12/40 Stedman 94l.5 2,941,447 6/60 Abbott a 8879 2,981,149 4/61 Stolarczyk 88-79 FOREIGN PATENTS 507,199 12/54 Italy.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, HENRY C. SUTHERLAND,

Examiners. 

1. A MARKER ADAPTED TO BE EMBEDDED IN THE PAVEMENT OF A HIGHWAY COMPRISING A RESILIENT ELEMENT HAVING AN UPPER PERIPHERAL EDGE ADAPTED TO LIE FLUSH WITH THE PAVEMENT, THE ELEMENT HAVING AN UPPER SLOPING SURFACE EXTENDING ABOVE THE UPPER EDGE, REFLECTOR MEANS EMBEDDED IN THE TOP OF SAID ELEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAID SURFACE, SAID ELEMENT BEING HOLLOW AND PROVIDED WITH A PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF THE MARKER WITH THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF WHEREBY AIR MAY FLOW TO AND FROM SAID INTERIOR DURING COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION OF SAID ELEMENT, SAID PASSAGEWAY BEING PROVIDED WITH AUTOMATIC VALVE MEANS OPEN BY AIR PRESSURE AND PREVENTING ENTRY OF DIRT INTO SAID INTERIOR, SAID ELEMENT HAVING A LOWER PORTION BEING CONTAINED WITH A RIGID HOUSING ALSO HAVING AN UPPER PERIPHERAL EDGE COPLANAR WITH SAID FIRST-MENTIONED EDGE, AND SAID PASSAGEWAY CONSTITUTING A GROOVE IN THE OUTER SIDE SURFACE OF SAID LOWER PORTION CLOSED BY A WALL OF SAID HOUSING, SAID VALVE MEANS COMPRISING A RESILIENT FLAP SECURED TO SAID ELEMENT AND EXTENDING OVER THE UPPER END OF SAID GROOVE SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAID EDGES. 